Read more at MalekTips.]]>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:28:53 GMThttp://malektips.com/windows-live-messenger-default-font.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Stop Displaying an Alert When Receiving New Emailhttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-email-alert.html
Tired of being alerted every time you receive an e-mail message while Windows Live Messenger is running? Turn these annoying alerts off!

While many people appreciate these alerts, if you receive a lot of e-mail and don't want to be bothered by these notifications while you are using Messenger, they can be disabled:...

Read more at MalekTips.]]>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:29:45 GMThttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-email-alert.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Help Prevent Accidental Clicking of Bad Websites; Do Not Hyperlink Addresseshttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-prevent-hyperlink-conversation.html
To prevent accidentally clicking on web addresses when conversing via Windows Live Messenger, keep the software from automatically turning them into hyperlinks.

By default, as you chat with others in Windows Live Messenger, if someone types in a web address to a site they want you to visit, the address appears hyperlinked. This way you can just click the address to open it in your default web browser.

Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals may chat with you for awhile, then try to point you to a "cool" website. This "cool" site may actually be a phishing scam, contain spyware or other malware, contain illegal information, may not be safe for work, etc. In this case clicking the hyperlink would be a bad idea. Instead, copying and pasting the hyperlink into a search engine first might give you some idea where you are about to visit. To make copying addresses easier without accidentally clicking hyperlinks, make the following configuration change:...

After installing Windows Live Messenger, it will start up every time you log onto Windows. If you are a frequent user this may be ideal; however, if you only occasionally chat you may want to only access Messenger when you're ready to talk. Thus this automatic start-up can be disabled:

1. From a Windows Live Messenger window, click the "Show Menu" button, selecting "Tools" - "Options" (see the below screenshot). Or, if you are at the sign-in screen and no "Show Menu" button appears, press, Alt, T, then O....

Read more at MalekTips.]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:57:32 GMThttp://malektips.com/windows-live-messenger-prevent-startup.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Show Message Timestampshttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-enable-timestamps.html
Display the times messages were sent / received via Windows Live Messenger.

Depending on your configuration, when you send and receive messages via Windows Live Messenger, the times the messages were sent or received do not appear, cleaning up the display.

However, timestamps may be useful, such as if you are communicating with multiple people simultaneously and want to make sure you don't ignore one of your contacts for too long....

Read more at MalekTips.]]>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:46:28 GMThttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-enable-timestamps.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Stop Showing Me As Awayhttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-automatic-status-away.html
Prevent Windows Live Messenger from changing your status to "Away" when you don't use your computer for 10 minutes.

By default, when you don't use your computer for 10 minutes, Windows Live Messenger changes your status to "Away" if it is currently "Available", letting others know you probably have left your machine.

If for various reasons you do not want others to notice this status change and always believe you are ready to chat, make the following configuration change:...

Read more at MalekTips.]]>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:48:34 GMThttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-automatic-status-away.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Don't Show Windows Live Today On Loginhttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-today-sign-in.html
Stop showing the Windows Live Today news and information window every time you sign into Windows Live Messenger.

Normally when you sign into your Windows Live Messenger account, a "Windows Live Today" window appears showing information such as the current weather, news headlines, celebrity gossip, and a search engine box.

While many people may enjoy this information, others would rather not have this appear. Thus it can be prevented from displaying automatically, though you can still manually display this window if desired:...

Read more at MalekTips.]]>Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:12:49 GMThttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-disable-today-sign-in.htmlWindows Live Messenger - Mute All Soundshttp://malektips.com/live-messenger-mute-sounds.html
Tired of Windows Live Messenger sounds interfering with music or others in the office? Mute the sounds.

By default, Windows Live Messenger plays sounds for a variety of reasons - when someone signs on, when you receive an instant message, and when you receive new e-mail, for example. These let you step away from the computer and still be notified when someone responds to a chat, is attempting a video call, etc.

While some find these sounds useful (and they can be customized), others find them annoying, for example if one is listening to music. Also, if you need to have speakers turned on in the office for other reasons, repeated sounds from instant messages may annoy your coworkers. Thus sounds can be muted:...